Shri Gurudev Mahendranath

Shri Gurudev Mahendranath

Portrait of Mahendranath, waist up, wearing orange cloth around body and over left shoulder, rudrakshas, foliage in background

Shri Gurudev Mahendranath (April 29, 1911–August 30, 1991) founded the International Nath Order to share his unique synthesis of the Adinath and Uttara Kaula traditions as a spiritual path for householders. Known as a sadhu, sannyasin, writer, poet, and Avadhut, he guided Western seekers with Eastern wisdom.

Early Life

Born Lawrence Miles on April 29, 1911, in London, England, Mahendranath showed an early fascination with spiritual inquiry and Pagan traditions. As a child, he experienced mystical moments that shaped his inner growth, setting the stage for his later recognition as a guru. In his youth, he met Aleister Crowley, an influential occultist, whose advice encouraged deeper study of meditation and the I Ching with Asian masters.

Spiritual Path

In 1953, after arriving in India, Lawrence Miles was initiated as a sannyasin into the Adinath Sampradaya by Shri Sadguru Lokanath, receiving the name Mahendranath. His travels took him across Ceylon, Thailand, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia, where he earned initiations as a Bhutanese Lama, Soto Zen meditation master, and practitioner of Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism, as well as Taoism.

Mahendranath seated on ground, meditative pose, sadhu with flowers around neck, trishul and kamandalu on either side.
Shri Gurudev Mahendranath

In 1963, Mahendranath received tantric initiation from Shri Pagala Baba of Ranchi into the Uttara Kaula sect, later becoming his successor in 1967 upon Pagala Baba’s mahasamadhi. Mahendranath deeply valued the Adinath and Uttara Kaula traditions, maintaining a spiritual connection with Pagala Baba for decades, even after his passing.

International Nath Order

As guru of the Adinath and Uttara Kaula sects, Mahendranath chose not to initiate new Indian sadhus, recognizing the challenges faced by renunciates in modern India and the lack of support for such lifestyles abroad. In 1978, he founded the International Nath Order (originally Western Nath Order) to share his tantric wisdom with Western seekers. The INO offers Mahendranath’s unique synthesis of these lineages as a spiritual path for householders, emphasizing meditation, yoga, and contemplation. Initiates, known as Naths or Devis, follow his accessible yet profound tantric teachings.

Writings and Legacy

Mahendranath’s essays and articles, including the Twilight Yoga Trilogy, Levogyrate Tantra, and The Londinium Temple Strain, are collected in The Scrolls of Mahendranath. These works, foundational to the International Nath Order, guide readers through tantra and the Nath way of life with clarity and non-sectarian wisdom.

Mahendranath standing, hands raised and smiling, on front steps to Tapovan, wearing orange robe, flowers overhead
Shri Gurudev Mahendranath at Shambhala Tapovan

On August 30, 1991, Shri Gurudev Mahendranath entered mahasamadhi at his hermitage, Shambhala Tapovan, near the Vatrak River in Mehmadabad, Gujarat, India. As the last guru of the Adinath and Uttara Kaula lineages, his legacy endures through the INO, inspiring practitioners worldwide.

To learn more about Shri Gurudev Mahendranath’s teachings and legacy, explore these resources:

Writings:

Nath Tradition:

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